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| Oklahoma Sharia Ban Heads to Federal Appeals Court |
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SEE: OK Anti Sharia Amendment Heads To Appeals Court
WHAT: Oral Arguments at US Court of Appeals of the 10th Circuit WHERE: The Byron White U.S. Courthouse, 1823 Stout Street, Denver CO 80257 WHEN: Mon, Sep 12, 2011, Court will begin at 1PM; Awad v. Ziriax is the fourth case on the docket WHO: Muneer Awad (CAIR-OK), Gadeir Abbas (CAIR-National), Dan Mach (ACLU), & Micheal Salem (ACLU) will be available for media before 1PM and after the hearing outside of the courtroom.
In November 2010, in response to a lawsuit filed by Awad, the US District Court of the Western District of Oklahoma ruled that the anti-sharia amendment was unconstitutional because it "conveys an official government message of disapproval and hostility toward [Islam]…forcing [Muslims] to curtail their political and religious activities."
SEE: Federal Judge Keeps Sharia Ban Out Of Oklahoma Constitution
Oklahoma's anti-sharia law was the first of many attempts across the US to label Islam as a threat to state courts. Similar attempts have been made in over 20 states, all spear-headed by legislators with the support of Anti-Muslim groups such as ACT for America. ACT for America poured $50,000 into Oklahoma to promote the anti-sharia law, and have worked closely with attorney David Yerushalmi, who has drafted anti-Sharia bills for lawmakers across the US.
SEE: Oklahoma Group Pushes to Ban Sharia Law SEE: The Man Behind the Anti-Sharia Movement SEE: Sharia Paranoia Industry is Very Lucrative
"We are hoping the US Court of Appeals reaffirms what we already know, and what the lower court already found: The 1st Amendment Rights of American Muslims are not up for a vote, and that Sharia does not pose a threat to our nation," said CAIR-OK Executive Director Muneer Awad.
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CAIR-Oklahoma is a local chapter of America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
Follow CAIR-Oklahoma on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/cairoklahoma Like CAIR-Oklahoma on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/CAIR-Oklahoma/44660013720 Join the CAIR-Oklahoma email list at: CONTACT: Muneer Awad, CAIR-OK 405-248-5853, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it |
(OKLAHOMA, OK 9/7/11)- On Monday September 12, the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-OK) will be present in the US Court of Appeals of the 10th Circuit in Denver, CO as a three judge panel hears arguments for, and against, a lower court order to halt the implementation of Oklahoma's anti-sharia amendment.
